Film 311/365, Day 333/365 – Shaft

Shaft is one smooth and cool, whilst also being violent and actually quite angry, but then it is Samuel L. Jackson and he does it so well.  There is a fair bit of action, lots of baddies that couldn’t hit a barn door with a banjo from two paces yet Shaft can pick them off without really paying attention.  Good but not that good.

Synopsis:  New York detective John Shaft is investigating a racially motivated murder which could have been committed by the son of a wealthy real estate tycoon.  Shaft is determined to get to the bottom of things whilst everything seems to be going against him.

Film 310/365, Day 332/365 – Snakes on a Plane

This is a stupid film, but to go in thinking anything other than that is stupider.  The story is exactly as you would expect and whilst there are some big names, obviously Samuel L. Jackson, it doesn’t do enough to make this more than some gratuitous fun that cannot and should not be taken seriously.

Synopsis:  A kid witnesses a murder by a notorious gangster who now wants him dead, especially as he’s in FBI custody and is heading to LA to testify against him.  Determined to make sure that that never happens he has arranged for a special package to go on the same plane, a crate containing hundreds of deadly snakes.

Film 309/365, Day 331/365 – Thor

Good action, plenty of humour and the best super hero, Thor.  It was a great taster of things to come, bring on Thor 2 and The Avengers, which ultimately that is what it is.  Here’s Thor, here’s how he got to where he is and this is what he can do.  Admittedly it’s not the best story but should give them plenty to build on going forward.

Synopsis:  Thor, the god of thunder, is cast out of Asgard for starting a war with the ice realm and sent to Earth to live as a mortal.  Whilst he is gone Loki sets about taking control of Asgard and is determined to make sure that Thor doesn’t come back.

Film 308/365, Day 330/365 – Nacho Libre

Stupid, really really stupid but in a good way!  Jack Black is quite unbelievable as a Mexican but it all adds to the hilarity of it.  The best parts are of course the wrestling matches and the training which culminates in a battle royale for a large sum of money where the winner takes all.  Ridiculous, but that’s what I like about it.

Synopsis:  A monk who works as a cook at an orphanage has dreams of one day becoming a wrestler.  Then when Sister Encarnación arrives at the orphanage he has a new dream, to woo her.  His best hope of doing that is to show how well he can care for the orphans, but he’s on a very tight budget.  Eventually he enters a wrestling competition to win some more money for the orphans.

Film 307/365, Day 330/365 – American Pie: The Wedding

Plenty of funny moments but not quite as funny as the first two.  There are some scenes which are brilliant, the dance-off in the gay bar, the stag party and wedding ring’s journey are some of the highlights.  It is still a good film but just not quite as good as the others.

Synopsis:  Having survived high school and college Jim and Michelle are getting married before heading out into the real world.  Can Jim convince Michelle’s parents that he is worthy or will he do his usually act?  Will Stiffler behave or is the wedding destined for ruin?

Film 306/365, Day 329/365 – John Tucker Must Die

Actually pretty funny.  The story is fairly obvious but is delivered quite well.  The best parts are how John Tucker is able to turn every trick the girls play on him so that it makes him look even cooler, especially the thongs!  Good mindless fun.

Synopsis:  Three girls who simultaneously dated John Tucker have united their anger and are coaching Kate, the new girl, to pretend to date John so that they can break his heart and get revenge.

Film 305/365, Day 329/365 – Superman – Doomsday

Not bad, but also not brilliant.  The story is ok, but Doomsday is not involved nearly enough and stuff keeps getting revealed far too early.  The animation is ok, but again not brilliant.  I expected more if I’m honest.

Synopsis:  Lex Luther unwittingly unleashes a monster that has been trapped deep beneath the surface of the Earth which goes on a killing rampage.  Can Superman stop Doomsday before he destroys all of Metropolis?

Film 304/365, Day 329/365 – Breaking Dawn Part 1

It’s not for guys... much like a Yorkie is not for girls, well this series is the anti-Yorkie.  I didn’t exactly hate it but couldn’t find anything that made me like it.  One of the worst moments was the Disney-esque scene with the wolves.  I’ve been told that Michael Sheen’s character will make a reappearance in the next part which is long overdue in my opinion.

Synopsis:  Bella and Edward have got married and are going to an isolated island near Brazil for their honeymoon.  Things there are complicated and get much worse when it appears that Bella is pregnant!  They hurry back to Forks but the wolves are not happy about the latest development.

Film 303/365, Day 329/365 – Wonder Woman

Great animation and an alright story.  One thing I will point out straight away is that this is far more violent than I remember the TV shows being... which is great!  It’s still got plenty of cheese and Wonder Woman in her corset but then that’s not necessarily a bad thing, is it?

Synopsis:  When a man accidentally finds himself in Themyscira, the home of the Amazons, he is captured and returned the outside world by Diana.  Diana however has another task as Ares the god of war has also escaped to the outside world.

Film 302/365, Day 328/365 – Surrogates

Not completely unbelievable and very interesting.  What if like in games like Second Life and World of Warcraft where you can customise your avatar you could customise a robot and live your life through that?  You could appear however you wanted, it would quite literally change lives.  But is that really you?  Raise some very interesting ideas.

Synopsis:  In the future most of mankind no longer ventures outside of their homes, instead they use surrogates to go about their daily lives.  Surrogates are a customizable robot that they are able to control using only their minds.  But when two people and their surrogates are killed a cop must venture out into the world without his surrogate to get to the bottom of things.

Film 301/365, Day 327/365 – Eclipse

The pale melodramatic teenagers are back, but thankfully so are the wolves and this time there is a vampire army to deal with which gets a big thumbs up from me.  Sadly no Michael Sheen in this one and whilst the story isn’t awful I have decided that it is the two main characters that are my biggest problem with it, Bella and Edward, that and teenage love stories... teenagers fall in love every other week, get over it already!

Synopsis:  Victoria is so determined to avenge James by killing Bella that she is developing a vampire army to attack the Cullens.  With Bella in the firing line the wolves form a temporary alliance with the vampires so as to protect her from the advancing army.

Film 300/365, Day 327/365 – 300

Absolutely incredible film, visually stunning and a fantastic story.  This is without a doubt one of my all time favourite films.  I could watch it over and over again and every time it would still amaze me.  It is just an incredible and truly inspirational story.  This is quite rightly a legendary tale and a must watch film for everybody.

Synopsis:  The Persian army are advancing on Greece and already appear have corrupted the politicians.  The Spartan King, Leonidas, however takes it upon himself and 300 loyal Spartan warriors to meet the Persian army in battle.  This is based on the actual Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C.

Film 299/365, Day 326/365 – New Moon

Yet more pale melodramatic teenagers however this time there are some redeeming features. The introduction of the wolves, Indian werewolves I can cope with although I am still struggling with sparkly vampires.  That said Michael Sheen’s character was excellent but I still cannot stand Bella, worst character ever!

Synopsis:  After an incident involving Jasper and Bella, Edward decides it’s safer for Bella if his family moved away.  So they do, leaving Bella empty until she rekindles her friendship with Jacob, however Jacob has his own secrets.

Film 298/365, Day 325/365 – How to Rob a Bank

Clever and understated.  This is a good example of how to make a good low budget film, focus on the story and the delivery.  Too many get carried away with special effects and going over the top.  The script at times was a little too much but for the most part kept the film ticking along nicely.

Synopsis:  During a bank robbery Jinx ran for cover and got himself locked in the vault.  Now he’s in the vault and wants to get out whilst the bank robbers are outside of the vault and want to get in.  So a desperate set of negotiating takes place between the robbers, the cops and Jinx, but they can’t all get what they want!

Film 297/365, Day 324/365 – Twilight

If you enjoy pale teenage kids who exhale far too much, then you will love this!!!  If however like me you like your vampires to be evil, devious and wicked and not sparkly then probably not!!!  The defining moment is when Bella’s goes on Google to find a book about Indian legends, then goes and buys the book, gets home and then Googles it anyway...

Synopsis:  Bella has moved to Forks to live with her dad.  There she meets Edward, a strange boy who seems like her one minute and not the next.  But Edward has a dark secret that will turn Bella’s world upside down.

Film 296/365, Day 324/365 – Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Magical and enthralling.  I’m almost ashamed to say that this is the first time I’ve seen this, it’s something I’ve always meant to watch but just never got around to it.  It would appear that is was well worth the wait.  The story is told in a fantastic way so that you are never really sure what is going on, basically you’re not spoon fed which is a change to a lot of recent films.

Synopsis:  A close encounter with an unidentified object causes a man to be drawn to an isolated area that he has never been to before.  He soon discovers that there are more like him who feel the same pull.  Something incredible is about to happen there and he is determined to be part of it.

Film 295/365, Day 323/365 – Red Sonja

Fantasy action, adventure and swords.  It’s by no means the best fantasy film out there but it is still entertaining plus I do enjoy a film with a strong heroine.  There is lots of elaborate scenery and fantastic costumes.  Good old fashioned fun.

Synopsis:  An evil queen steals a magical talisman so that she can conquer the world.  The queen kills the talisman’s keepers and then goes about using her new weapon.  Red Sonja, with the help of an eclectic group of allies, seeks to stop the queen and return the talisman to the darkness.

Film 294/365, Day 323/365 – Bridesmaids

Cosmopolitan said “Better than the Hangover”... yeah, right, on what planet?  This is billed as the girl’s version of the Hangover, if you go into it expecting that you will be extremely disappointed.  There are some funny moments, but they are so few and far between that they aren’t really worth waiting for.  Ironically the funniest moment of the film happened after the credits began to roll!

Synopsis:  Annie’s life is falling apart, however she has just been asked to be her life-long friend’s maid of honour.  She’s happy for her but that doesn’t stop things getting worse and soon her life is spiralling out of control.

Film 293/365, Day 322/365 – Transporter 3

Plenty of action, high speed car chases and some excellent fights.  Statham is brilliant as Frank Martin, he’s cool, calm and hard as nails and for some reason he loves to use his jacket as a weapon!  A good easy to watch film.

Synopsis:  The daughter of Ukrainian Government minister has been kidnapped and Frank Martin has been forced to transport her from Marseilles to Odessa.  Can Frank complete the job and get away with his life especially as he is wearing a bracelet that will explode if he goes too far from his car?

Film 292/365, Day 322/365 – Tucker and Dale vs Evil

A fantastic twist on the usual slasher horror film set in the woods with hill-billies and it is also very funny.  Which is to be expected as it is much more of a comedy than a horror, but there is plenty of amusing deaths and blood and guts for the horror fans.  I really enjoyed it especially the bit with the chainsaw and the bees!

Synopsis:  Tucker and Dale are heading up to their newly acquired holiday home for some rest and relaxation, plus they’ve going to fix it up as well.  Then one night when they are fishing they rescue a college girl from drowning.  The only problem is the college girl’s friends think she has been captured by psychotic hill-billies. 

Film 291/365, Day 322/365 – Dante’s Inferno

Intense, haunting and action packed.  Based on the poem by Dante Alighieri a number of talented animators put their own interpretation on the various circles of hell.  This is a fantastic story which is well worth watching and with all of the different styles of anime it is visually brilliant as well.

Synopsis:  Dante returns from the crusades to find his entire family including his beloved Beatrice slain.  Lucifer appears and drags Beatrice’s soul to hell.  Dante must battle his way through the nine circles of hell if he is to save her.

Film 290/365, Day 321/365 – Black Dynamite

Funky, smooth, righteous and very, very, very funny.  Black Dynamite is a fantastic parody of blaxploitation films from the 1970s with an ingenious mix of kung fu, intentional filming gaffs and some cool cats.  Can you dig it?

Synopsis:  When Black Dynamite’s only brother is killed by a drug dealer he declares war on drugs and is determined to smack down anybody involved.  Little does he know just how far the his war will take him.

Film 289/365, Day 320/365 – Quantum of Solace

Another excellent Bond film packed with non-stop heart stopping action, the scene where they are falling out of the plane is one in particular... what a rush.  The story is not quite as good as Casino Royale but is a great way to continue things.  Daniel Craig is quickly becoming my favourite Bond.  Bring on Skyfall!

Synopsis:  Following on from the end of Casino Royale Bond is determined to get revenge for the death of his girlfriend.  Then when a sinister organisation attempts to assassinate M the paths begin to cross and lead him to Dominic Greene, a world renowned developer of green-technologies.   

Film 288/365, Day 319/365 – Casino Royale

Bond is back with a blast.  This is absolutely my favourite Bond film, it works well as a film on its own and as part of the franchise.  It is gritty, tough and beautifully filmed.  Daniel Craig was fantastic as Bond, giving him depth whilst maintaining a steely exterior.  Fantastic action which gets better as the film goes on.  Puts the shame of Die Another Day firmly in the past, it’s almost like it didn’t happen... almost!

Synopsis:  James Bond has just been given double 0 status and a license to kill and he’s already going after the banker for all of the world’s terrorists and dictators.  To succeed Bond will have to better Le Chiffre in a high stakes poker match whilst making sure he stays alive.  

Film 287/365, Day 318/365 – Battle Royale

Could it really happen... probably not... but then you have to think about it.  This film is brilliant, it’s tense dark and whilst the story is fairly simple it is delivered expertly.  It is completely engaging from the start to the finish and well worth watching.  It’s going to raise some questions and probably get some split opinions but it is well worth it.

Synopsis:  With violence within schools getting out of control the Japanese government introduces some radical new laws.  The most unruly class in Japan is selected to compete in Battle Royale.  Each classmate is given a bag with a random weapon in and then forced to fight their classmates until only one remains or else they all die.  

Film 286/365, Day 318/365 – Assassins

Standard action film with some good gun battles and car chases.  At just over two hours assassins is possibly a little too long for what it is really.  Everyone is quite good without anyone really excelling in their roles.  Good without really being great.

Synopsis:  Rath, an assassin, attempts to quit and walk away but Bain, a younger assassin, seeks to be regarded as the best.  Bain believes that he will only be the best once he has made Rath’s retirement permanent. 

Film 285/365, Day 317/365 – Bad Teacher

Occasionally funny and mostly predictable.  It’s not your average Rom-Com although it does follow some of the usual steps.  Diaz’s character is despicable and has some funny moments whilst Timberlake’s character is both absurd and bizarre!  Not too much more to it than that really.

Synopsis:  Elizabeth Halsey has just completed her first and last year as a teacher, now she is off to marry her rich fiancé... well that’s what she thought.  He has now finally realised that she is just with him for his money and has kicked her out.  Now she will have to go back to teaching until something better comes along!

Film 284/365, Day 316/365 – Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Even more action and adventure on the high seas courtesy of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.  So having seen off zombie pirates, Davy Jones and the Kraken and countless other evils they now have to deal with mermaids and the infamous pirate Blackbeard.  As with the other films in the franchise the script is excellent and allows for lots of brilliant exchanges between my two favourite pedantic pirates, Sparrow and Barbosa.

Synopsis:  Jack Sparrow is captured and forced to help Blackbeard, the pirate that all pirates fear, find the fountain of youth.  Barbosa, who now sails as a captain in the British fleet is also searching for the fountain of youth, as are the Spanish.  Who will get there first?

Film 283/365, Day 316/365 – District 9

Excellent story, fantastic characters, stunning special effects combing to make a great film.  With obvious similarities with apartheid South Africa District 9 is simply a brilliant science fiction film with plenty of action and a really really good story time, worth watching again... (although I will obviously have to wait).

Synopsis:  When an alien spaceship comes to a complete standstill in the air above Johannesburg it quickly becomes apparent that despite their advanced technology they are desperately in need of help.  Soon a refugee camp has been established however they aren’t welcomed by all equally.

Film 282/365, Day 312/365 – Pandorum

Tense, dark and thoroughly engaging.  Pandorum is a great science fiction film with plenty of action, a good twist and a very enjoyable story.  If you like films set in space, with dark and twisting corridors, people struggling to find out what has happened around them all whilst carnivorous creatures try to eat them... then this is for you!

Synopsis:  Two crew members awaken from an extended stay in hyper-sleep with no memory of who they are and what they are doing there.  Soon they become aware that the reactor that powers the spaceship is hours away from exploding.  Also to make things that much trickier there appears to be something else on the ship and it’s hunting them!  

Film 281/365, Day 311/365 – Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me

Just as stupid, ridiculous and funny as the first film.  Some of the gags have been reused and updated but then there is also the introduction of Mini Me who is excellent.  If you liked the first film then you will enjoy this just as much.  It’s great fun with more than enough to keep you coming back for more. 

Synopsis:  Doctor Evil is back and using his new time machine he has travelled back to the 60s and stolen Austin Powers mojo.  Now Austin must travel back to the swinging sixties to recover his mojo and stop Doctor Evil in his latest plot to take over the world.

Film 280/365, Day 310/365 – Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery

It’s stupid, ridiculous and incredibly funny.  I have such fond memories of seeing this the first time around and it is still just as funny.  There are loads of one liners and stupid gags which make for a very entertaining film and of course it is all a parody of the Bond movies which it does so well.  Brilliant, it’s an absolute must see film, yeah baby!

Synopsis:  British secret agent Austin Powers was cryogenically frozen when his nemesis, Doctor Evil, froze himself.  Now some thirty years later Doctor Evil has reappeared so Austin Powers is reanimated to continue to help catch him.  But can Austin adjust to the 90s or will it all be too much?

Film 279/365, Day 310/365 – Fantastic Four

Some good action, some good characters, an excellent villain who wasn’t really used to his full potential which results in a fairly reasonable action film.  It’s certainly not the best film based on a comic but it is also not the worst.  Good fun, but that is about it.

Synopsis:  A group of scientists are accidentally exposed to cosmic radiation which alters their genetic makeup.  Soon they must come to terms with the changes their bodies have been through and decide how best to use these new abilities.

Film 278/365, Day 307/365 – Scream

Classic slasher horror from Wes Craven.  Sadly however it will never be as good as the first time you watch it.  That’s because the twist is excellent and almost impossible to see coming, but then once you know you know. So if you haven’t seen it then you’ve got all that to look forward to.  It is still very good though.

Synopsis:  When two students are brutally murdered just before the anniversary Sydney’s mother’s murder she starts to suspect that there could be a connection.  Soon there are a number of murders and the police have just as many suspects.

Film 277/365, Day 307/365 – I, Robot

Excellent science fiction based on a story from the daddy of science fiction, Isaac Asimov.  I, Robot has plenty of action and good amount of suspense and a story that will keep your focus all the way to the end.  I really like it and cannot wait until I can get my own robot.

Synopsis:  A murder at the head of the US Robotics leads a technophobic cop to believe that it was committed by a robot.  Soon he will learn a secret that could alter the future of humanity and that of robots.

Film 276/365, Day 306/365 – Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

Excellent adventure, brilliant action and fantastic fun.  This is the third in the series and as good as the other Pirates films.  All of the characters are brilliant, especially the madness of Jack Sparrow.  The script is littered with jems and moments of absolute quality.  All in, another great film in the franchise.

Synopsis:  With the Flying Dutchman under the control of the East India Trading Company the pirates are forced to take desperate measures.  Barbosa, back from the dead, Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann must travel to the ends of the Earth to rescue Captain Jack Sparrow from Davy Jones locker.  

Film 275/365, Day 305/365 – Dinoshark

What a steaming pile of poo!  Just because anyone can make special effects doesn’t mean they should.  Whoever came up with the design for a shark with a dinosaur head was clearly messed up at the time.  The story is one dimensional and the actor poor.  My personal favourite moment in the film was the end when I didn’t have to watch it anymore.  As bad as Sharktopus!

Synopsis:  A prehistoric shark thaws from an iceberg and goes on killing rampage of the coast of Mexico.  

Film 274/365, Day 304/365 – King Kong

Beautiful, captivating and action packed.  This is without a doubt a fantastically made film, everything about it oozes charisma.  My only criticism is that it is a little too long to make it a film you can watch again and again, best saved as a treat every once a while.  The effects are magical and the fight between Kong and the T-Rex is awesome!

Synopsis:  Desperate to make the greatest film the world has ever seen an ambitious director takes his crew to Skull Island where they encounter far more than they had imagined.  Before long they are fighting for their lives until a more lucrative opportunity presents itself.

Film 273/365, Day 304/365 – The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

It’s not as bad as they would have you believe.  It was originally supposed to be the first of many films in the series however the series got canned after the first film did poorly at the box office which was a shame because there are much worse films that have had sequels.  Basically it’s a good action film with a fairly good story line, don’t dismiss it straight away.

Synopsis:  In an alternative world a group of fictional heroes are brought together to track down and capture a madman known only as ‘The Fantom’.  Each hero is selected for their unique abilities, some slightly less stable than others.